Reconfiguration of programmable components in an electronic apparatus

ABSTRACT

For the reconfiguration of a radiotelephone unit including components programmable in configuration modes, the invention provides a removable electronic device having stored data defining a plurality of configuration modes which is connected to the apparatus. A configuration mode is selected from the apparatus in the device. The programmable components are programmed by the device and reconfigured in accordance with the selected configuration mode data under the control of the device. The data of the configuration modes can be downloaded from a server into the device through a downloader terminal.

The present invention relates to reconfiguring reprogrammable componentsin an electronic unit such as a telecommunication terminal, including amobile telephone terminal.

For example, the configuration modes relate to telecommunicationinterfaces that adapt the unit to the telecommunication network to whichit is liable to be connected temporarily as a function of the locationof the unit.

One prior art solution for adapting the unit to diversetelecommunication interfaces is to provide different and independenthardware and software modules for implementing the diverse interfacesrequired and included in the terminal. If the unit must be connected tothe telecommunication network corresponding to one of the interfacesincorporated in this way, the latter interface is selected and the otherinterfaces remain inactive.

Another and less bulky solution consists in interchanging onetelecommunication interface module with another in the unit.

In these two prior art solutions, it is necessary to provide aninterface module each time that a new telecommunication network ormodifications to an existing network are defined and generallystandardized.

The present invention aims to remedy the drawbacks of the prior artsolutions previously cited by exploiting the reprogrammable nature ofcertain components in the unit in order to authorize the user of theunit to select a configuration mode autonomously, without addingdedicated modules each time that a new configuration mode is created,whilst avoiding modification of the operating context of the unit.

Accordingly, a method for reconfiguring an electronic unit of cellularmobile telephone type comprising components programmable inconfiguration modes relating to radio communication interfaces, ischaracterized in that it comprises the steps of:

-   -   procuring an electronic device having stored data defining a        plurality of configuration modes and connecting the device to        the unit,    -   saving operating context data in the unit following a        reconfiguration decision made in the unit,    -   selecting a configuration mode from the unit in the device,    -   deprogramming the programmable components of the unit under the        control of the device, and    -   configuring the programmable components in accordance with the        data of the selected configuration mode under the control of the        device and utilizing the saved data of the operating context for        the selected configuration mode.

Thus, according to the invention, if the user of the unit, which is ofmobile telephone type, wishes to change configuration mode, i.e. tochange radio communication interface, the electronic device, which ispreferably portable and removable from the unit, deletes all the dataand programs in the programmable components of the unit that are notnecessary for the selected new configuration mode and supplies to theunit all the data that is necessary for it to operate in the selectedconfiguration mode.

Thus the mobile telephone unit is able to operate in the selectedconfiguration mode only if the device supplies to it the data of theselected mode.

Saving the operating context in the unit following a reconfigurationdecision in the unit precedes the step of selecting a configurationmode. This enables the user of the unit to recover certain data andprograms that are specific to the operation of the unit and/or thecontext of the unit and are independent of the configuration modes.

The electronic device provided preferably initially contains hardwareand software characteristics of the unit relating in particular to eachof the programmable components. These characteristics of the unit arenecessary for acquiring the program and the parameters of eachconfiguration mode best adapted to the architecture of the unit definedby said unit characteristics. The data, such as program and parametersof a selected mode, is downloaded into the electronic device byexecuting the following steps:

-   -   connecting the device to downloader means,    -   transmitting an identifier of a configuration mode and the unit        characteristics read in the device from the downloader means to        a server,    -   analyzing the unit characteristics in the server in order to        select therein data defining the configuration mode designated        by the identifier which data is most adapted to the unit        characteristics, and    -   transmitting the identifier and the selected configuration mode        data from the server to the downloader means in order to write        the identifier and the configuration mode data into the device.

After subsequently downloading the selected configuration mode data intothe downloader means in the terminal, the electronic device is no longerinvolved in the operation of the terminal.

The invention also relates an electronic device carrying out the methodof the invention for reconfiguring an electronic unit of cellular mobiletelephone type comprising programmable components. The device ischaracterized in that it comprises memory means for storing datadefining a plurality of respective configuration modes of the unitrelating to radio communication interfaces, and control means fordeprogramming the programmable components and configuring theprogrammable components according to the data of a mode selected fromthe configuration modes read in the memory means, operating context datathat was saved in the unit after a reconfiguration decision in the unitbeing used for the selected configuration mode.

To download data defining configuration modes, the device comprisespreferably memory means for storing hardware and softwarecharacteristics of the unit.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become moreclearly apparent on reading the following description of severalpreferred embodiments of the invention given with reference to thecorresponding appended drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of an electronic unit withprogrammable components connected to a reconfiguration device of theinvention;

FIG. 2 shows an algorithm executing steps of the reconfiguration methodof the invention; and

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of a system for downloadingconfiguration mode data into the reconfiguration device.

An electronic unit AP such as a mobile cellular telephone terminalhaving components that are programmable in accordance with configurationmodes is shown in FIG. 1.

The unit AP generally comprises four types of programmable components C1to C4.

There is generally only one first component C1 that constitutes amicrocontroller to manage activation and operation of the unit AP. Thefirst component C1 is connected to a user interface including a displayAF and a keypad CL and manages the communication link and the managementof the communication resource during communication with a distantterminal, as well as the electrical power supply.

One or more second components C2 consist of digital signal processors(DSP). Each DSP is usually dedicated to signal processing tasks and itsoperation is controlled by the microcontroller C1. For example, one ormore DSP may be dedicated to a communication or radio communicationinterface and also carry out the operations necessary forcoding-decoding and sending-receiving data.

The components of the third type C3 are sequential and combinatorialfield programmable gate array (FPGA) logic circuits, certain of whichmay constitute slave coprocessors of the DSP processors C2.

The fourth component type C4 relates to reprogrammable memories.

Depending on what type of unit the unit AP constitutes, it comprises oneor more of the programmable components C1 to C4. At the minimum, a unitAP comprises a microcontroller C1, where applicable with areprogrammable memory C4. All the components C1 to C4 are connected by aconventional bus BAP internal to the unit AP. The unit therefore behavesas a programmable multiprocessor system.

FIG. 1 also shows a portable electronic device DI for configuring theunit AP. The device DI essentially comprises a microcontroller CT andmemories ME that are connected by a bus BDI. The bus BDI of the deviceDI is connected to the bus BAP of the unit AP by a link LI which may bea cable link, a universal serial bus (USB) link, a Bluetooth short-rangeradio link or any other contactless link. For example, the device DI isa small integrated circuit module or a microcontroller card, also knownas a smart card, and is built into the unit AP or plugged into it andtherefore removable from it.

In the context of the invention, the memory ME contains data relating tothe hardware and software characteristics CAP of the unit AP and toconfiguration modes Ml to MQ of the unit AP.

The characteristics CAP of the unit relate equally to its hardwareresources and its software resources. The hardware characteristics are,for example, the model, the manufacturer, the type and the serial numberof each of the components C1 to C4, the number of components of the sametype, the size of each of the memories C4, the clock frequencies of thecomponents C1 and C2, etc. The characteristics CAP also relate to thesoftware resources of the unit AP and in particular to the versions ofthe operating system and the various programs, applications andlibraries implemented in the components of the unit AP, theinterdependence thereof, etc. The entirety of the hardware and softwarecharacteristics CAP constitutes a signature of the architecture of theunit AP that is used to download configuration modes into the device DI,as explained in the remainder of the description.

Each configuration mode Mq, where 1=q=Q, is defined by a specificprogram PRq and parameters PAq for configuring each of the programmablecomponents C1 to C4 in the unit AP in the mode Mq. For a cellular mobiletelephone unit AP, the configuration modes relate to radio communicationinterfaces compatible with a Digital Enhanced Cordless Telephone (DECT),Personal Handyphone System (PHS), Radio Local Area Network (RLAN) orHYPERLAN, or a Global System for Mobile communications (GSM), AdvancedMobile Phone System (AMPS) or Universal Mobile Telecommunication System(UMTS) local telephone network, or a radio communication network usingnon-geostationary satellites in low Earth orbit. These configurationmodes relating to radio communication interfaces may be combined withdifferent operating systems to be implemented in the microcontroller C1and the processors C2 or with different services.

The method of reconfiguring the mobile telephone unit AP according tothe invention essentially comprises the main steps E0 to E7 depicted inFIG. 2.

It is assumed that in the initial step E0 the unit AP is in apredetermined configuration mode, and the device DI is connected to theunit AP and is on standby. All the programmable components C1 to C4 ofthe unit AP have been configured to carry out all the tasks associatedwith the predetermined configuration mode, whether those tasks arelinked to baseband processing or to protocol layers, for example. In thestandby state, the device DI is not involved in the operation of theunit AP and, if it has no autonomous electrical power supply, it issupplied with power by the power supply of the unit AP via the link LI.

It is also assumed that the memory ME of the device DI contains theprograms PRl to PRQ and the parameters PA1 to PAQ for a plurality ofconfiguration modes M1 to MQ.

To change configuration mode, in the step E1, the user of the unit APselects a configuration menu from a main menu present on the display AFof the unit AP. Display on the display AF of the unit and selection bythe user may take the conventional form of voice messages.

If the mode configuration menu is selected in the step E1, the unit APgoes to standby, i.e. in the step E2 the components C1 to C3 commandsaving of the data of the current operating context of the unit AP inthe memories C4 in order to retrieve the data after the mode change, ina subsequent step E7.

Starting from the step E2, the microcontroller CT in the device DI isactivated and takes control of the DI/AP combination to install theconfiguration mode to be selected. In other words, all operationseffected in subsequent steps are controlled by the microcontroller CTeither directly or through the intermediary of the microcontroller C1 orone of the digital signal processors C2 that in this case operates asslave of the microcontroller CT.

In the step E3, the display AF offers the list of configuration modes M1to MQ stored in the memory ME of the device DI, in the form of theirnames, where applicable accompanied by certain of the characteristicsCAP. The user validates a selection of one Mq from the displayedconfiguration modes, using the keypad CL, for example, in order for themicrocontroller C1 to communicate an identifier of the selected mode tothe microcontroller CT of the device DI in the step E4.

The subsequent steps E5 and E6 are managed automatically by themicrocontroller CT and are transparent to the user. In the step E5, themicrocontroller CT controls deactivation of the programmable componentsC1 to C4 in the unit AP, i.e. partial or total deprogramming of one ormore components in such a manner as to reset program memories in thecomponents C1 and C2 and where applicable in the programmable circuitsC3 and C4. The deprogramming in the step E5 depends on a comparison ofthe preceding predetermined configuration mode that must be eliminatedand the new configuration mode Mq that has just been selected. Then, inthe step E6, the microcontroller CT of the device DI reconfigures thecomponents C1 to C4 of the unit AP as a function of the parameters PAqof the selected mode Mq by way of particular operations commanded andmonitored by the corresponding program PRq. In particular, theparameters PAq are loaded into the programmable areas of the componentsC1 to C4 in place of the parameters of the preceding predeterminedconfiguration mode, which were deleted in the step E5.

In the step E7, the device DI returns automatically to the standby stateand becomes inactive vis-à-vis the unit AP, which at this stage is ableto operate in the selected configuration mode Mq. The unit AP retrievesthe data relating to the operating context saved in the memories C4 inorder to use them in the configuration mode Mq.

The data PRq and PAq defining a configuration mode Mq is downloaded intothe memory ME of the portable device DI, as indicated by the initialstep EO in FIG. 2.

For example, the data PRq and PAq is included in a packet in the form ofan applet written in the object-oriented language Java. The device DI isinserted into a downloader terminal TC that communicates with a serverSE via a telecommunication network RT of the Internet type, as shown inFIG. 3. The downloader terminal contains an application dedicated toconfiguration mode downloading.

Downloading the data PRq and PAq of a predetermined configuration modeMq into the device DI comprises four main steps E01 to E04.

In the step E01, after connection of the device DI to the downloadingterminal TC, the user enters in the terminal TC an identifier IDq of themode Mq to be written in memory ME of the device DI and subsequentlyinstalled in the architecture of the unit AP. In the step E02, theterminal TC produces and sends to the server SE an Internet protocol(IP) packet addressed to the server SE and containing the identifier IDqof the selected mode Mq and the characteristics CAP of the architectureof the unit AP, which are read by the downloader terminal TC in thememory ME of the device DI.

As a function of the hardware and software characteristics CAP in thepacket received by the server SE, the latter decides on the best choiceof the data PRq and PAq for the mode designated by the identifier IDqand reads the data PRq and PAq in a database associated with the serverSE in the step E03. The server SE contains characteristics of diverseconfiguration modes that are updated either by the suppliers of units APand the programmable components C1 to C4 or by telecommunication networkoperators. According to the analysis of the unit characteristicseffected by the server, the latter returns to the downloader terminal TCan IP packet comprising the mode identifier IDq and the data PRq and PAqof the selected configuration mode Mq that are the most adapted to theunit architecture defined by the received characteristics CAP, or whereapplicable a packet indicating that there is no configuration of themode Mq which can be adapted to the architecture of the unit AP inaccordance with the characteristics CAP. The data PRq and PAq is thenwritten by the downloader terminal TC into the memory ME of the deviceDI in corresponding relationship with the mode identifier IDq.

If a mode reconfiguration is subsequently requested in the step El, themicrocontroller C1 of the unit AP reads in the memory ME the identifierIDq of the mode Mq that has just been downloaded into the device DI sothat it may be selected in the steps E3 and E4. During subsequentoperation of the terminal with the data of the selected configurationmode, the electronic device is no longer involved in the operation ofthe terminal.

In practice, the downloader terminal TC may constitute a publicdownloader terminal just like a bank terminal or other service terminalmade available to the public.

Alternatively, the downloader terminal TC and the unit AP receiving thedevice DI may be one and the same. In this variant, the applicationdedicated to downloading configuration mode data is installed in thedevice DI whose microcontroller CT controls exchange of packets with theserver SE via the unit AP, which is transparent to the content of thepackets.

1-8. cancel
 9. A method of reconfiguring an electronic unit of acellular mobile telephone comprising components programmable inconfiguration modes relating to radio communication interfaces,comprising the steps of: procuring an electronic device holding storeddata defining a plurality of configuration modes and connecting saiddevice to said unit, saving operating context data in said unitfollowing a reconfiguration decision made in said unit, selecting aconfiguration mode from said unit in said device, deprogramming saidprogrammable components of said unit under the control of said device,and configuring said programmable components in accordance with data ofthe selected configuration mode under the control of said device andutilizing the saved operating context data for said selectedconfiguration mode.
 10. The method according to claim 9, wherein saiddevice is on standby before the step of selecting and after the step ofconfiguring.
 11. The method according to claim 9, further includingremoving said device from said unit.
 12. The method according to claim9, wherein said device includes a memory storing hardware and softwarecharacteristics of said unit.
 13. The method according to claim 12comprising the steps of: connecting said device to downloaderarrangement, transmitting an identifier of a configuration mode and saidunit characteristics read in said device from said downloader means to aserver, analyzing said unit characteristics in said server in order,selecting the server data defining said configuration mode designated bysaid identifier, which data is most adapted to said unitcharacteristics, the selecting step being in response to the analyzingstep, and transmitting said identifier and selected configuration modedata from said server to said downloader arrangement, writing saididentifier and said selected configuration mode data into said device inresponse to the transmitted identifier and selected configuration modedata.
 14. The method according to claim 13, wherein said downloaderarrangement and said unit are one and the same.
 15. An electronic devicefor reconfiguring an electronic unit of a cellular mobile telephone typedevice comprising programmable components, a memory arrangement forstoring data defining a plurality of respective configuration modes ofsaid unit relating to radio communication interfaces, and a controlarrangement for (a) deprogramming said programmable components and (b)configuring said programmable components according to the data of a modeselected from said configuration modes read in said memory arrangement,operating context data saved in said unit after a reconfigurationdecision in said unit is used for the selected configuration mode. 16.The device according to claim 15, comprising a memory arrangement forstoring hardware and software characteristics of said unit.